Find peace and prayers on the little hillock of Swaymbhunath
in the northwest of the Kathmandu Valley. Also known as the "Monkey
Temple" among visitors from abroad, Swayambhunath sits atop its hill,
overlooking most parts of the valley. This is a good place to catch panoramic
views of the city. The site itself has stood as a hallmark of faith and harmony
for centuries. The glory of Kathmandu Valley is said to have started from this
point.
Resting on a hillock 3 km west of Kathmandu, Swayambhunath
is one of the holiest Buddhist Chaityas in Nepal. It is said to have evolved
spontaneously when the valley was created out of a primordial lake more than
2,000 years ago. This stupa is the oldest of its kind in Nepal and has numerous
shrines and monasteries on its premises.
Swayambhu literally means "self-existent one".
According to translations from an inscription dating back to 460 A.D., it was
built by King Manadeva and by the 13th century, Swayambhunath had developed
into an important center of Buddhism.
Legend has it that Swayambhu was born out of a lotus flower
that bloomed in the middle of a lake that once spread across the Kathmandu
Valley once was. The largest image of the Sakyamuni Buddha in Nepal sits on a
pedestal on the western boundary of Swayambhu. Behind the hilltop is a temple
dedicated to Manjusri or Saraswati - the Goddess of learning. Chaityas, statues
and shrines of Buddhist and Hindu deities fill the stupa complex. The base of
the hill is almost entirely surrounded by prayer wheels that were recently installed.
Devotees can be seen circumambulating the stupa at all times.
The stupa sits atop the hill and the exceedingly steep stone
steps leading up to the shrine is quite a challenge. However, there is also a
road going up almost to the top and you can drive up. A large number of
Buddhists and Hindus alike visit Swayambhunath through out the day. Swayambhu
is perhaps the best place to observe religious harmony in Nepal.